On March 12, a workshop on “Enhancing Resilience Through public awareness, preparedness and capacity building” was held at the Tavush Regional Administration. The event was initiated by the Public Communications and Awareness Department and the Rescue Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The workshop aimed to promote cooperation between state and local government bodies to strengthen population protection mechanisms against natural phenomena, particularly landslides, improve disaster risk management planning, enhance public awareness, and refine crisis communication procedures.

The event was attended by representatives of the MIA, rescue service personnel, the staff of the Tavush regional governor, community and administrative leaders, and officials responsible for emergency situations.

Tavush Governor Hayk Ghalumyan emphasized the importance of such discussions, stating that they provide an opportunity to address pressing regional issues and explore preventive and response measures.

Spokesperson and Head of the Public Communications and Awareness Department of MIA Narek Sargsyan highlighted the necessity of building a resilient society, stressing the importance of community-level capacity building, coordinated efforts and public awareness to develop an informed and resilient population.

Senior Specialist at the Disaster and Emergency Situations Management Department of MIA Karen Atayan presented the development of the landslide risk management system as part of the Disaster Risk Management Strategy Action Plan for 2023-2026.

Head of the Emergency Situations Planning Division of Population Protection and Disaster Risk Reduction Department of Rescue Service Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, emphasized the importance of establishing a disaster risk management system at the community level, including hazard mapping and the necessity of population preparedness.

Senior Instructor of the Natural Disaster Division of Rescue Service Anahit Davtyan outlined the measures taken to prevent landslides, highlighting their goal of increasing public awareness and preparedness.

Head of the Information Provision and Statistics Division at the Crisis Management National Center Liana Abrahamyan, emphasized that public awareness initiatives play a crucial role in enhancing population preparedness and preventing the negative results of crises ultimately contributing to the formation of a more resilient society. 

Speakers also highlighted the important role of local self-government bodies in improving public preparedness.

Head of the Population Protection and Disaster Risk Reduction Department Gurgen Martirosyan addressed questions of attendee regarding landslide-prone areas in Tavush, ongoing mitigation efforts and potential risks.

Summing up the discussions, Head of the Tavush Regional Rescue Department Vahan Pirumyan stressed that disaster prevention and response are most effective when local self-government bodies are actively involved. He emphasized that through collaborative efforts, a stable and secure country can be built, where every individual understands their responsibility and is prepared to respond to challenges.